Coffee maker



Dec. 11, 1951 P. E. WILLMAN COFFEE MAKER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 26, I947 INVENTOR. PH L/P LTW/ZLMA/v BY Dec. 11, P, E, w LM N COFFEE MAKER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 26, 1947 h I INVENTOR. PH/L /P [Mum/v Patented Dec. 11, 1951 OFFICE COFFEE MAKER Philip E. Willman, Chicago, 131., assignor to McGraw Electric Company, Elgln, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application June 2c, 1941, Serial No. 151.150 Claims. (01. s-zsz) My invention relates to codes makers and particularly to vacuum type coffee makers.

An object of my invention is to provide a new form of vacuumcofiee maker.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel means for controlling the operation of a vacuum type coffee maker.

Other objects of my invention will either be apparent from a description of several forms of device embodying my invention or will be pointed out during the course of such description and be particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings.

Figurelisatopplanviewofacofleemaker shown in vertical section in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a cofiee maker embodying my invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a part of Fig. 2 showing a coffee valve and an air vent in open condition,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear view of a part of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view showing the upper portion of a coffee maker in position for removal from or insertion onto the lower portion,

Fig. '1 is an end view of the -parts shown in Fig. 8,

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of a thermostat in connection with a diagram of electric circuits for controlling the operation of a coifee maker,

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of another form of thermostat embodying my invention, and.

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 9.

A coifee maker I i comprises a lower water container it, an upper coffee container I 5, which upper container is provided with a depending tubular member I! which tubular member may extend to within a short distance above the bottom IQ of lower container it. The upper container i5 is provided with a handle 2! and a cover 23. A spout is provided in the upper container I5, which spout is adapted for the discharge or pouring of coffee from the lower container i3 through a tube 21 which extends throughout substantially the entire height of the upper container i5 and is provided with a front opening 29 therein.

I provide an air inlet tube 3| in the upper container I5 which is preferably positioned just in back of the tube 21 and has a lower tubular portion 33 which is adapted to extend around a cen- 2 tral depressed portion II to which the tube II is connected. A filter 31 is adapted to be positioned in the depressed portion ll of the bottom it of the upper container ll to hold coffee grounds 4| within the upper container. Since it is necessary to provide a closed lower container ll during the process of making or preparing the coffee extract I provide means for closing both tubes 21 and ii at will. The means for closing tube 21 comprises a valve 43 which is spring-pressed against a seat in the lower end of tube 21 just below the opening 2! by a compression spring 45, the upper end of which engages a closing member 41 positioned at the end of tube 21. Means for closing the air inlet tube II as well as the tube 21 may comprise a manually actuable closure 49 which has a first projection ii adapted to close air inlet tube Ii when fitted into a valve seat. A second projection 53 is provided on member 49 which, when fitted into a depression, is effective to hold the closure 4! in proper operative position to close both the coii'ee outlet valve as well as the air inlet valve when desired. When the coffee extract has returned to the lower container II the operator may open both the coflee outlet tube as well as the air inlet tube by turning closure 48 by projections 54 secured to the upper end or surface of closure 48 to a position substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Means for ensuring a vacuum type closure or fit of the upper container IS on the lower container it may comprise an annular gasket 55 which is secured against the upper surface of the lower container it. The lower surface of the upper container 15 is provided with a lip 51 which extends around the front end of the upper end of the lower container for less than a semi-circle in order to permit of assembling the lip 51 in proper operative position underneath the inwardly flanged upper end of the lower container i3.

Means for clamping the upper container in close operative engagement against member 55 comprises a book 59 secured to the rear side of casing l5 adjacent the lower end portion thereof. A rectangular ring 6| pivotally mounted on a lower handle 63, which lower handle is pivotally mounted on a projection 65, is effective to be hooked over the hook 59 with the handle tilted in a counterclockwise direction to substantially the position shown in Fig. 6, after which the ring 6! may be connected to hook 59 and the handle 63 may then be turned in a clockwise direction until the handle 83 reaches its final position on projection 88 when the upper container I! will Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and I desire that all such modifications coming clearly within the scope of the appended claims shall be considered a part of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A vacuum type cofiee maker comprising an upper and a lower container, said upper container having a liquid-conducting spout extending d o wn into said lower container to a position near the bottom of said lower container, and means for sealing said upper container on said lower container whereby steam pressure in said lower container can force liquid therefrom into said upper container, said sealing means comprising an inturned lip at the upper end of said lower container, an out-turned lip at the lower end of said upper container for hooking under said inturned lip of said lower container and extending less than one half of the periphery of said upper container, a gasket on said inturned lip on which said upper container seats in an air-tight manner, a handle pivotally mounted on said lower container, a ring on said handle and a hook on said upper container engageable by said ring for locking said upper container on said lower container, said ring being movable into locking position by a rotation of said handle in the direction that gives an inward motion to a portion of the handle below the pivot, a stop for limiting the rotation of said handle in said direction, said handle in said locked position having a portion thereof extending outward by which the coffee maker may be lifted.

2. A coffee maker comprising a lower container, an upper container that fits thereon, said upper container including a liquid-conducting part extending down into the lower container and having an opening near the bottom of said lower container whereby steam pressure in said lower container can force liquid into said upper container, a lever-actuated locking device for fastening said containers together, a carrying handle at one side of the lower container pivoted leverlike thereon, the pivot being near the top of the handle to permit the lower end to swing toward and away from the container, said handle constituting a part of said lock and operable when swung toward said container to lock said containers together, and a stop for limiting the inward movement of said handle relative to the container to stop it. in said locking position, whereby the weight of said container, when supported on said handle, holds said locking device locked.

3. A coflee maker comprising in combination separable upper and lower liquid containing receptacles, the upper container having an opening in its bottom for permitting the flow of liquid therefrom into said lower container and having also means for retaining collee grounds therein while permitting such flow, a handle member pivoted to one of the receptacles, and means connected with the handle member and the other receptacle operated by pivoting movement of said handle for locking the receptacles together and for locking the handle member in position to serve as a handle for carrying the coffee maker.

4. In combination, a lower container, an upper container that fits thereon, said upper container having a liquid-conducting part extending down into said lower container and having an opening near the bottom of said lower container, a lever-actuated locking device for fastening said containers together, said locking device including a lever pivoted about a substantially horizontal axis at one side of the lower container and near the top thereof, said lever serving also as a carrying handle for said two containers and having a grip part below said pivot swinging toward said lower container for locking said device, and a stop for holding said grip part far enough from said lower container to permit a fist to hold said grip part, whereby when said containers are supported erect only by said handle they rest against said stop and hold said locking device locked.

,5. In combination, a lower container, an upper container that fits thereon, the upper container having an opening in its bottom for permitting the flow of liquid therefrom into said lower container and having also means for retaining coifee grounds therein while permitting such flow, a lever-actuated locking device for fastening said containers together, said locking device including a lever pivoted about a substantially horizontal axis at one side of the lower container and near the top thereof, said lever serving also as a carrying handle for said two containers and having a part below said pivot swinging toward said lower container for locking said device and a stop against which said containers rest when supported erect only by said lever, said lever being L-shaped and, when against said stop; having one leg extending out substantially horizontal from said pivot and the other leg extending down from the outer end of the first leg to constitute a grip part of the carrying handle.

PHILD? E. WILLMAN.

REFERENCES orr n The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 91,170 Scholle June 8, 1869 129,882 Behringer July 30, 1872 806,885 Focht Dec. 12, 1905 1,267,405 Hammerstein May 28, 1918 1,381,855 Ashcraft June 14, 1921 2,097,186 Hinnenkamp Oct. 26, 1937 2,151,407 Lobl Mar. 21, 1939 2,158,587 Neviws May 16, 1939 2,164,158 Masin June 27, 1939 2,212,100 Keaton Aug. 20, 1940 2,262,286 Ireland Nov. 11, 1941 2,301,917 Johnson Nov. 17, 1942 2,365,615 Woodman Dec. 19, 1944 2,410,323 Wellman Oct. 29, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain 1892 

